Red Sox Get Brad Ziegler from Arizona

nattysez

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...for Jose Almonte (20 year old high-A pitcher) and Luis Alejandro Basabe (high-A 2b).

I've liked Ziegler since he was in the minors and used to correspond with the Athletics Nation blog. He's a FA at the end of the year. He's a submariner.

He's had a bit of a down year, but is still pretty effective. Lefties are OPSing .788 against him this year, which is not much worse than his career mark (.764), so proceed with caution.

Edit: This trade breaks up the Basabe twins, so I hope Luis Alexander (not traded) doesn't suffer without his brother Luis Alejandro (traded) around.
 
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E5 Yaz

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The Red Sox acquired reliever Brad Ziegler from the Diamondbacks for minor leaguers Jose Almonte and Luis Alejandro Basabe, according to a team press release. Blake Swihart was transferred to the 60-day DL to clear a 40-man roster spot for Ziegler.

Ziegler, 36, has served as Arizona’s closer in recent years. This season, the sidearmer owns a 2.82 ERA, 6.3 K/9, 3.5 BB/9, and 63% groundball rate, with just one home run allowed in 38 1/3 innings.
 

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The Red Sox acquired reliever Brad Ziegler from the Diamondbacks for minor leaguers Jose Almonte and Luis Alejandro Basabe, according to a team press release. Blake Swihart was transferred to the 60-day DL to clear a 40-man roster spot for Ziegler.

Ziegler, 36, has served as Arizona’s closer in recent years. This season, the sidearmer owns a 2.82 ERA, 6.3 K/9, 3.5 BB/9, and 63% groundball rate, with just one home run allowed in 38 1/3 innings.
Okay. I'm in with this move. Especially the allowed HR's part. Nicely done so far DD. Adding a few small plug ins and paying off quickly with Aaron Hill. Disappointed with Swihart move. How retro is that?
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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Okay. I'm in with this move. Especially the allowed HR's part. Nicely done so far DD. Adding a few small plug ins and paying off quickly with Aaron Hill. Disappointed with Swihart move. How retro is that?
He was hurt on June 4. I don't think he's even out of the boot yet so this is really just a paper move.
 

Pilgrim

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Really odd reliever- he constantly has terrific ERAs while beating his peripherals. His GB rates are insane. He has made over 64 appearances every year since 2009, so his ERA looks legit.

Hope this doesnt mean either Taz or Kimbrel is hurt, but this is really nice pickup.
 

Hank Scorpio

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Pretty meh K/9 and BB/9 numbers, especially for a back end of the bullpen type guy. Only one HR in 38+ innings this year, but a pretty lousy WHIP.

Regardless of the state of Tazawa and Kimbrel, bullpen help is needed anyway, with the loss of Smith and the struggles of Koji. I'm not very excited about this guy though.
 

CanvasAlley

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I am very impressed with the DD strategy so far. Acquiring pieces to fill immediate team needs, while simultaneously picking up players for trade. Things should be very interesting after the AS break.
 

E5 Yaz

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Does that seem odd to anyone else? Like DD got on the horn after the game? I'd be more inclined to think he had this one in the chute and just finalized it tonite.
Agreed. Of course, they knew about Taz and Kimbrel before the game even started, so there was time to work something out with Arizona. The D'Backs game in SF ended moments before this trade was announced
 

Lowrielicious

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Does that seem odd to anyone else? Like DD got on the horn after the game? I'd be more inclined to think he had this one in the chute and just finalized it tonite.
Agreed.

It's not like we didn't have a need for a good reliever prior to tonight, or last week, or last month. Basically as soon as Carson Smith went down.
 

Pilgrim

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Pretty meh K/9 and BB/9 numbers, especially for a back end of the bullpen type guy. Only one HR in 38+ innings this year, but a pretty lousy WHIP.

Regardless of the state of Tazawa and Kimbrel, bullpen help is needed anyway, with the loss of Smith and the struggles of Koji. I'm not very excited about this guy though.
IP/ERA

73/3.07
60.2/3.26
58.1/2.16
68.2/2.49
73.0/2.22
67.0/3.49
68.0/1.85
38.1/2.82

I dont know how he gets it done, but damned if he doesnt.
 

E5 Yaz

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They'll need to make a 25-man move tomorrow, so a DL stint for Taz or Kimbrel is possible
 

E5 Yaz

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Alex Speier ‏@alexspeier 16m16 minutes ago
Prospects the Sox gave up to AZ: Almonte is intriguing, a 20-yr-old strike-throwing RHP (7.6 K/9, 2.2 BB/9) who has dominated LHHs at times

Alex Speier ‏@alexspeier 13m13 minutes ago
Luis Aj Basabe, 19, hit .310/.412/.467 w/14 steals in 20 attempts for Single A Greenville. Likely UT ceiling, but chance to be regular 2B.

Alex Speier ‏@alexspeier 16m16 minutes ago
Luis Alejandro Basabe, twin brother of high-ceiling OF Luis Alexander Basabe, made considerable strides forward in '16.

***

Wonder if Arizona thinks they got the wrong twin
 

nattysez

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They'll need to make a 25-man move tomorrow, so a DL stint for Taz or Kimbrel is possible
Tazawa last pitched on July 3, so putting him on the 15-day DL retroactive to then would, I believe, only require him to miss the rest of the Rays series and the series against the MFY after the break.
 

E5 Yaz

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If Ziegler gets in a game this weekend, the Red Sox will have used 22 pitchers (well, 21 plus LaMarre) before the All Star Break
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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This could turn out to be a fun season even if it goes to crap. If DD duck tape and rubber bands this team to a playoff spot without giving up any of the top five prospects, it'll be friggin amazing. I'm kind of excited now, especially to see what happens to get a SP. I'm confident he's not moving AB or YM, for the right pieces I'm cool with him trading AE, MK or RD, but I think he might be creative enough to patch the holes enough without doing it. This could be a fun month.
 

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Agreed.

It's not like we didn't have a need for a good reliever prior to tonight, or last week, or last month. Basically as soon as Carson Smith went down.
How much adequate relief do you expect DD to get in an off season given the roster Ben left. Oh, and three starters suck too. This pitching staff is all Ben and if none of them show anything in the next three weeks there are no moves to make. DD needs to sit and wait to build around the core and not comprise it. Find real arms later. For now, siti back and enjoy the bats. Right PP.
 

nvalvo

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IP/ERA/GB%

73/3.07/62.3%
60.2/3.26/54.4%
58.1/2.16/68.6%
68.2/2.49/75.5%
73.0/2.22/70.4%
67.0/3.49/63.8%
68.0/1.85/72.8%
38.1/2.82/63.0%

I dont know how he gets it done, but damned if he doesnt.
He gets it done by having GB percentages as high as 75%.
 
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Papelbon's Poutine

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How much adequate relief do you expect DD to get in an off season given the roster Ben left. Oh, and three starters suck too. This pitching staff is all Ben and if none of them show anything in the next three weeks there are no moves to make. DD needs to sit and wait to build around the core and not comprise it. Find real arms later. For now, siti back and enjoy the bats. Right PP.
DD was pretty clearly given carte blanche and an open checkbook to get this team back to contender status. You can't completely absolve him of criticism on the pitching and blame it all on BC. He could have signed Shark or Cueto. He could have signed more RP. He made the call to go into the season with the staff he did. He chose not to throw money at the problem. Let's see how he scrambles. It could be interesting.
 

Pilgrim

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Hes a sidewinder/submariner. That explains the odd profile.

He gets it done by having GB percentages as high as 75%.
Yea, hes still outperforming his FIP/xFIP, but when guys are insane outliers like that, I just accept what they are doing
 

nvalvo

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Yea, hes still outperforming his FIP, but when guys are insane outliers like that, I just accept what they are doing
In fact, he has either the highest or second highest GB% of any pitcher in baseball, depending on how you set the parameters. Jonny Venters is the other candidate.
 

The Mort Report

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Even though they are few and far between, I chuckle at any of the negativity of the deal. For 2 fringe prospects that most likely won't make the majors, the Sox upgraded their bullpen. Sure the Sox want a better price and I'm sure will go for one, making him 3rd or 4th assuming the injuries are minor, but even if he adds one win he's worth it. And that arm angle can cause havoc, imagine going from koji's junk to Brad's delivery to Kimbrel? It's a mind fuck at the end of a game
 

Pilgrim

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In fact, he has either the highest or second highest GB% of any pitcher in baseball, depending on how you set the parameters. Jonny Venters is the other candidate.
yea- I was just thinking of how to measure that, but looked at 5 years. Not bad!

 

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So...Wendell Rijo, Aaron Wilkerson, Jose Almonte and the wrong Basabe for two infielders and a reliever.

I like. It's been a good couple days.
 

Al Zarilla

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36 years old, saw him a lot when he came up for the A's. Hope he does better than that other ex-A's side-wheeler the Sox took a flyer on, Chad Bradford. He will, right?
 

Al Zarilla

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DD was pretty clearly given carte blanche and an open checkbook to get this team back to contender status. You can't completely absolve him of criticism on the pitching and blame it all on BC. He could have signed Shark or Cueto. He could have signed more RP. He made the call to go into the season with the staff he did. He chose not to throw money at the problem. Let's see how he scrambles. It could be interesting.
I heard Samardzija wanted to go to a team that has a pitching coach that might be able to help him out of the funks he gets into. No contest there, Giants vs. Red Sox.
 

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DD was pretty clearly given carte blanche and an open checkbook to get this team back to contender status. You can't completely absolve him of criticism on the pitching and blame it all on BC. He could have signed Shark or Cueto. He could have signed more RP. He made the call to go into the season with the staff he did. He chose not to throw money at the problem. Let's see how he scrambles. It could be interesting.
They are a contender and thanks to Ben's leftovers from two last-place teams, not quite good enough. Thanks to Papi, PD, and three kids raking the boat is afloat at the break.
There is no carte blanche to fix Clay, Kelly and and injured E-Rod combined with no pitching development on the arm-barren farm.
How much money do you really think DD had to throw at the problems on this roster thanks to the Panda and Hanley deals. I don't absolve him, but until Farrell is gone and he is allowed to hire HIS people there is no accountability at any level in the current organization. DD took this job with a plan that didn't have JF as his manager, and JF got sick and is still here with his staff.
I hope John Henry enjoys trying to find the talent to build and manage winning baseball over the long term for a second time. I wonder how his earlier hires that turned into fires and runoffs are surviving in the MLB game?
 

joe dokes

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While another SP still has to come from somewhere, I really like the idea of getting solid but unspectacular major leaguers like Hill and Ziegler to fill the roster. Better to have a Roberts, Mientkiewicz and Curtis Leskanic sitting around for the 12th inning than Terry Adams, Mark Malaska, Ryan LaMarre or Cesar Crespo.

(With hopes that Ziegler adds to, rather than has to replace, Tazawa or Kimbrel).
 

smastroyin

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I'm just looking forward to pages and pages worth of Farrell discussion when we see his usage. Maybe Nip can dig up the archives for all the complaints about Tito and Chad Bradford.
 

Drek717

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I'd consider this a solid deal for a bullpen arm who actually pitched to the 3.41 FIP that Ziegler has posted for his career. The fact that he has consistently out-pitched his peripherals and has a career 2.49 ERA makes this look like surprisingly good value. AZ plays in a significant hitter's park and Ziegler has a 5.00 ERA at home, 0.89 on the road. While he's been HR lucky his BABIP so far this year is .333, over .050 higher than his career average and by far the highest he's had since 2009 when he had a .351 with Oakland and still pitched to a 3.07 ERA. Good GB rate too. I'd consider it a plus that he's a submariner as well, gives a different look within a series and might be a tangible reason why he out-pitches his peripherals.

Hard to not like the move. I'm just hoping Taz and Kimbrel are healthy enough to be back after the break and Ziegler is going to join Hembree and Barnes in the middle innings group.
 

Savin Hillbilly

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The wrong side of the bridge....
36 years old, saw him a lot when he came up for the A's. Hope he does better than that other ex-A's side-wheeler the Sox took a flyer on, Chad Bradford. He will, right?
Bradford's BABIP allowed went up almost 100 points in his Sox year, and went back down 30 points afterward. And when you look at who the Sox infield was that year, it's easy to see why.

He chose not to throw money at the problem.
// insert GIF of David Price saying "wait, WHAT?".

Ziegler's player card shows that he started the year with a velocity dip on his sinking fasterball*. And he was struggling early--27% LD rate and 41% Hard rate in May, with a GB% under 60--as well as giving up an uncharacteristically high walk rate (BB/9 over 4 in both April and May). But his velocity ticked back up each month, and in June he was getting results more like his normal self: 2.64 FIP, 70% GB rate, 2.4 BB/9. Hopefully whatever was going on early in the year, he's over it.

Certainly he gives our bullpen the one thing it has obviously lacked since Smith went down: a GB specialist who, whatever else happens, will keep the ball in the park.

It certainly looks like a sell-high move on Luis Alejandro, and possibly a mild buy-low on Ziegler. We'll see how it comes out, but on paper it's a very solid deal, exactly the kind of move a GM with a playoff shot and a deep farm system should be making.

*The comparative form is mandatory -- 8 Red Sox pitchers this year are throwing changeups faster than Ziegler's sinker.
 

BeantownIdaho

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I like these early moves by Dom - Getting out there and getting needed pitching and role players. Aggressive and not afraid to go out and get what they want/need instead of waiting until the deadline.
 

SouthernBoSox

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In this division, with the power RHH that Toronto and Baltimore have, you need someone who can come in with runners on and get a tough out in late innings. You just have to have it or you aren't going to win this thing.

This is that guy. Have to love the move.
 

BaseballJones

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Can't complain about this move. Good pitcher, and the Sox have a glaring need for good pitchers. The cost isn't too high.
 

DeadlySplitter

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I have to imagine Ziegler gets 7th/8th inning work as Koji looks closer to done and we don't want to burn out Taz (although he may be burnt already).
 

benhogan

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In this division, with the power RHH that Toronto and Baltimore have, you need someone who can come in with runners on and get a tough out in late innings. You just have to have it or you aren't going to win this thing.

This is that guy. Have to love the move.
Yep, smart move by DD. Surprised I haven't seen the term 'deep depth' thrown around here more, guess its been a few years.
Ziegler helps combat the O's power RHHs of Machado, Trumbo, Jones, Schoop, Alvarez.
and the Jays RHH's of Encarncion, Bautista, Martin, Tulo, and Donaldson.
Unfortunately Koji is cooked and Taz has been somewhat figured out by the O's and Jays.
Ziegler can also close in a pinch (once again Koji/Taz can't be trusted here).

Now go get Pomeranz or Hill, add a LOOGY, and this team is ready to take its shot in Papi's final season.
 

benhogan

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Have to think Ziegler is more then a "middle innings guy" as suggested above.

Hale was disappointed to lose a closer, who converted a club-record 43 straight saves from May 29, 2015, through June 20, 2016, the seventh-longest streak in Major League Baseball history.

"It's hard," Hale said. "He's been so good for us in that closer's role, been a good Diamondback for a long time.


http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/188860008/d-backs-trade-brad-ziegler-to-red-sox/
 
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Savin Hillbilly

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The wrong side of the bridge....
If Kimbrel's knee responds well to a week off, he's obviously still the closer, and then Koji and Ziegler become situational late-inning guys, with their almost perfectly complementary strengths deployed depending on the lineup and game situation. If Kimbrel's out for an extended period, then I think Koji still gets the closer role until he loses it, both because of team seniority and because it seems like Ziegler would be better suited to a slightly more irregular/unpredictable workload.
 

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IIRC, part of Bradford's struggles with the Sox involved the expanded rosters in September: he faced a high number of LHH coming off the bench as PHs.
 

simplicio

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Yep, smart move by DD. Surprised I haven't seen the term 'deep depth' thrown around here more, guess its been a few years.
Ziegler helps combat the O's power RHHs of Machado, Trumbo, Jones, Schoop, Alvarez.
and the Jays RHH's of Encarncion, Bautista, Martin, Tulo, and Donaldson.
Unfortunately Koji is cooked and Taz has been somewhat figured out by the O's and Jays.
Ziegler can also close in a pinch (once again Koji/Taz can't be trusted here).

Now go get Pomeranz or Hill, add a LOOGY, and this team is ready to take its shot in Papi's final season.
Are we no longer considering Tommy Layne a capable LOOGY? If we had another starter that could reliably go six innings we might be able to put him back into that role.
 

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I dont know how he gets it done, but damned if he doesnt.
With a submarine delivery and tons of ground balls.

Ziegler has been a guy I've wanted the Sox to pursue since Smith went down, so I'm pretty happy with this. The right price for a decent depth move.
 

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I'm really impressed by how little Dombrowski has had to give up for a closer and a starting-quality 3B. Makes me wonder how much of being a successful GM is just being perceived as trustworthy and a good guy by your peers.